NUR-SULTAN (TCA) — The President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel held talks in Berlin on December 5 on the intensification of bilateral relations and the prospects of establishing a strategic economic partnership. The two leaders also discussed cooperation in education, science and cultural areas, the press service of the Kazakh president reported.
At a joint press conference for the media after the talks, Tokayev stressed that Germany has become the first state of the European Union which he visits with an official visit as President, and called it as important to further strengthen the partnership. He said that the main purpose of his visit is to give additional impetus to economic cooperation and political interaction between the countries.
“Being the 4th largest economy in the world, Germany occupies only the 12th position in our economy in terms of investment presence. In the near future, 700 large, medium and small assets of our economy will be privatized, which opens up good opportunities for German entrepreneurs. The more investments will be attracted, the more profitable it will be for both sides,” the Kazakh president said.
Tokayev said that Kazakhstan is ready to offer special conditions for German investors.
The president of Kazakhstan was asked to comment on the decline in trade between the two countries. Over 8 months of 2019, exports from Kazakhstan to Germany fell by 21.4%, which experts attribute to the situation in the oil market.
“Indeed, such a trend is taking place. The main purpose of my visit today is to change the situation. Therefore, during the negotiations, I have made a number of proposals to Mrs. Chancellor,” Tokayev said.
Chancellor Merkel in her speech noted the contribution of the First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to the achievement of a high level of mutual understanding with Kazakhstan. She called the talks with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as fruitful and expressed confidence that its results will elevate bilateral ties to a new level.
